Icing

Directions

1In small bowl, mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Set aside until yeast becomes foamy while you gather remaining ingredients.

2In another small bowl, mix pumpkin, vanilla and egg.

3In large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups of the flour (reserve the last 1/4 cup to bring together the dough if needed), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup butter by pinching it into the flour with your fingers, using a pastry blender, or a fork until mixture is sandy and butter is mostly incorporated.

4Mix yeast mixture and pumpkin mixture into the dough using dough hook on stand mixer or with wooden spoon until wet dough forms. If using mixer, beat dough with dough hook 10 minutes on medium speed until dough starts to pull away from side of bowl and becomes elastic. If dough is still very wet and stringy, add remaining 1/4 cup flour. If you are mixing dough by hand, you will likely need additional flour so you can handle dough enough to knead it. For hand mixing, knead dough about 5 minutes, until it becomes elastic and fairly smooth. Shape dough into a ball and place into oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and set in warm place 1 to 2 hours or until double in size.

5In another small bowl, beat sugar and spices for Filling with whisk. Lightly oil 13x9-inch pan; set aside.

6Place dough on floured work surface. Roll dough with rolling pin to 15x12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter over dough, leaving about 1 inch of unbuttered space on each of the longer sides. Sprinkle with sugar-spice mixture. Starting with 1 of the longer sides of the dough, roll it up into a log, and pinch together the seam. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces; cut each piece into 3, for a total of 12 rolls. Arrange evenly in pan with 1 of the cut sides down. Cover pan with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator overnight.

7In the morning, remove pan from refrigerator, and set on counter for 30 minutes to take off the chill. After 30 minutes, heat oven to 350°F, and place pan on top of oven, where it will be very warm, and cover with towel. Allow oven to heat and the rolls to warm for about 30 minutes or until rolls are puffed, about double in size, and the spaces in between the rolls are nearly filled in.

8Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are golden. Cool slightly while you make icing.

9In 6-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter over medium heat until it separates into clear butter, foam and milk solids. Continue to cook until milk solids become deep, toffee brown and smell fragrant and nutty. Pour butter into a dish, and set aside.

10In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar, browned butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat to combine, and spread over warm rolls. Serve warm. Rolls are best the same day they are made.

Notes

Tips

Expert Tips

These rolls can also be made in 1 day. After rolling and cutting the rolls, place them in the baking pan, and cover with plastic wrap as instructed. Instead of placing in the refrigerator, leave them out on the counter in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in size, and bake as directed.

Don’t spread the icing over the rolls when they are piping hot from the oven, or the icing will just melt into the rolls…instead, let them cool just slightly so some of the icing melts into the rolls and some stays on top.

Adding a little bit of sugar to the milk and yeast mixture gives the yeast something to feed on, accelerating the blooming (foaming) process of the yeast. Blooming the yeast separately, instead of mixing it into the dry ingredients, gives you the opportunity to make sure your yeast is alive. If it doesn’t foam up after about 5 minutes, your yeast is probably dead, so it’s time to buy new yeast!

Buying yeast in bulk is cost effective, but to keep it alive for up to a year (or more) store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.